Wind turbine

A method of operating a wind turbine, the wind turbine comprising:

• a tower;
• a nacelle mounted on the tower;
• a rotor mounted to the nacelle, the rotor comprising a hub and at least three wind turbine blades, each blade extending between a root and a tip, and each blade further comprising a connection point located between the root and the tip;
• a plurality of blade connecting members, each blade connecting member being connected between corresponding connection points of a pair of wind turbine blades;
• and
• a tensioning system comprising a plurality of linear actuators, each linear actuator being coupled between the hub and a respective blade connecting member;
• the method comprising:
• adjusting each linear actuator in dependence on the tension in the respective blade connecting member to thereby adjust the tension in the blade connecting member;
• wherein each linear actuator has an adjustable length, and wherein adjusting each linear actuator comprises adjusting the length of the respective linear actuator to thereby adjust the tension in the blade connecting member;
• wherein the linear actuators are hydraulic actuators or pneumatic actuators, and wherein, in use, the linear actuators extend and retract as a result of pressure, without any active electronic control input;
• wherein each linear actuator comprises a piston, and wherein the tensioning system further comprises a plurality of stiffness-response systems, each respective stiffness-response system of the stiffness-responses systems associated with a respective linear actuator of the plurality of linear actuators and comprising a source of high pressure fluid being selectively coupled to a first side of the piston of the respective linear actuator and a source of low pressure fluid being selectively coupled to a second side of the piston of the respective linear actuator.